A suspected suicide involving a Grade 3 learner in Eastern Cape has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s education sector, with Parliament calling for a full investigation into the tragedy.
The select committee on education, sciences and creative industries on Friday said it was deeply saddened by the incident and urged authorities to urgently establish the circumstances surrounding the young child’s death.
‘Watch out for early warning signs’
Committee chairperson Makhi Feni said the learner allegedly took her own life after experiencing bullying at school, stating that the incident raises troubling questions about learner safety and the ability of schools to detect early warning signs of distress among children.
“It is not normal that a learner as young as Imibongo [Ntamehlo] will commit this kind of an act. We, therefore, are calling for a thorough investigation into this incident,” Feni said.
He stressed that bullying remains a persistent challenge in schools and warned that educators and authorities must intensify efforts to combat it.
“Bullying is a challenge in our schools that educators should never be tired in fighting,” he said.
Feni added that schools should be environments where children feel safe and protected.
“Our children must find parental love and protection in schools. This is a sad story that will reflect on our system, and the better these kinds of incidents are attended to and resolved the better.”
Lack of support services a concern
The committee also raised broader concerns about the lack of support services in many schools, including social workers and welfare professionals who could help identify and intervene when learners experience trauma or harassment.
“The reality is that our schools lack social work and welfare services as well as learner security,” Feni said.
He said the committee would seek further information from both provincial authorities and the Department of Basic Education as investigations unfold.
The committee further urged the Eastern Cape provincial government to support the grieving family during this difficult time.
“The province must assist the family with all in its power,” Feni said.
Eastern Cape education authorities are yet to release further details about the circumstances surrounding the learner’s death, and it remains unclear where exactly the incident occurred. Provincial education department spokesperson Mali Ntima told Sunday World a media statement would soon be released on the issue.
The scourge of bullying
It is also not the first time that a school suicide has shaken the Eastern Cape. In 2021, a learner at Bhisho High School, Lathitha Nako, died after allegedly taking poison following sustained bullying linked to her reported calling to become a traditional healer.
At the time, Elleck Nchabeleng, then chairperson of Parliament’s education committee, called for accountability against educators accused of ill-treating the learner.
He warned that the case went beyond ordinary bullying and involved victimisation and discrimination.
The latest tragedy has renewed calls for stronger anti-bullying measures and better psychological support in schools, especially for young learners who may struggle to express the silent storms they carry.
